HomeMy WebLinkAbout2456 Letter, Maria Cary to Selectmen concerning a proposal to erect "a memorial hall," October 14, 18691
Report of the Trustees of the Cary Library
Being designated as the Trustees of the
Library by the vote of the Town, it becomes our
duty to submit a report of our acts and doings.
After our appointment we accepted the generous
tender of the Farmers Club Library consisting
of four hundred volumes of well selected books,
which were appraised at five hundred seventy
four dollars. This brought us within the requirements
of the town and of Mrs. Cary; and we took immediate
measures to obtain her generous donation, and to
invest it agreeably to the terms of the gift.
We then entered into registration with the
proprietors of the Lexington Social Library Association,
recently formed in town, and have succeeded in
obtaining possession of their valuable Library, at
a cost much less than the real worth of the books.
Most of the proprietors freely gave their shares
and others gave a portion of theirs. There, by the
generosity of these two Associations, we have been
enabled, at a Small expense, to lay a foundation
for a good assortment of books for public use.
To the books there obtained we have added, by
purchase, nearly four hundred new books, so that
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we have, now, a collection of more than twelve
hundred volumes of choice and well selected
books, suited to the tastes of all classes of readers
The Library is well arranged and a Catalogue is
offered, freely, to every family, so that each one can
easily make a selection of such books as he may
desire to read.
The Selectmen were authorized by the vote
of the Town to procure a place for the Library and
to employ a Librarian at the expense of the Town.
Under this authority they have leased two chambers
of Mr. Adair, in his store now occupied by Mr. B.
C. Whitcher, for the term of two years, at the moderate
rent of fifty dollars annually. The Assessors
for years past, have been in the habit of hiring
a room for their accomodation at a rental
from eight to twelve dollars a year. # By occupying
as they can without detriment, one of the rooms
leased for the Library, the Library rent will, prractically
be reduced to forty dollars, annually.
The Selectmen have provided the necessary
furniture for the room and procured a Librarian
at a cost of seventy five dollars a year.
A question has arisen in the minds
of the Trustees, whether common prudence did
not require that the Library should be insured
against fire: but not feeling ourselves duly
authorized to incur this expenditure, we present
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this question to the Town for its consideration.
Agreeably to the vote of the Town and a
provision of the Statute, we have adopted certain
rules and regulations for the government of the
Library, which are herein inclosed and which are
submitted to the Town for its action.
By the vote of the Town in accepting Mrs.
Cary's donation, the Town pledged itself to appropriate
forty dollars annually, for a certain
number of years towards the replenishing of the
Library. At the same time, it was voted to furnish
a room and a Librarian at the charge of the Town.
These provisions the Town will, no doubt, cheerfully
comply with.
A statement of the money expended _ and
the objects and articles for which it was paid, will
be seen in the Report of the Finance Committee
which is appended to this Report.
The Trustees would congratulate the people
of Lexington on the establishment of an institution
so honorable to the Town and beneficial to its
inhabitants as a Public Library, where our entire
population may have free and equal access to books
selected with care and adapted to the wants of the
community. And we are happy to learn that this
privilege is fully appreciated by the people.
The Library was opened on the twenty seventh of
January and from that time till the first of March,
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there were 1669 volumes taken out.
In this connection, we cannot refrain
from expressing a hope that the Town will take
efficient measures towards providing a suitable
building for the better accomodation of the
people, and the greater safety of the books.
Such a step would greatly promote the size
and usefulness of the Library. The Trustees
have already, been assured that if a convenient
building were provided for the Library and the
public Records, at least two hundred volumes
would be added to the Library by private liberality.
The Town has, or should have, in its possession
a large number of valuable books which have
been furnished by the State, and which are now
entirely useless, because we have no place where
they are accessible. Being sent to the Town Clerk
who has no place to deposit them, they are
scattered about, and, as a matter of course, some
of them are lost. If the Town would provide
a suitable building for the Library, and the books
belonging to the Town were collected and put upon
shelves, where they could be accessible, it would
be a great convenience to the town officers and to
all who might desire to consult the Statutes and
the decisions of the Supreme Court.
Besides this the public Records of the Town
are now very insecure. The books of the Assessors
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and of the Town Clerk contain records, of the utmost
importance; and if they were lost or destroyed by
fire, they could never be replaced. The Statutes
impose upon the Selectmen the duty of providing
"at the expense of the Town, fire-proof safes of ample
size for the preservation of Books of record or registry,
and other important documents or papers belonging
thereto." The law also provides that "the Clerk
of each town shall keep all such books, papers
and documents in the safe so provided, at all times
except when they are wanted for use".
We have a safe in the Town Hall, but it will
not contain one half of the books and documents
and papers which ought to be kept safe and
preserved with care. Though a solemn duty is
imposed upon the Selectmen to look to the safety
of the public Records - no Board would feel
itself authorized to erect a building for the
purpose. Such a measure should originate
with the Town, which could, at the same time,
provide suitable rooms where the Clerk, Selectmen
Assessors and other town officers can meet
for the transaction of their business.
We commend this subject to the favorable
consideration of the Town, believing that
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its reputation and its interests are both involved
in the subject.
Charles Hudson
By Order of the Trustees.
Lexington March 1, 1869
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Report of the
Library Trustees
Accepted March 6 1869
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